Door-securer.



lvwentov G. H. STEVENSON.

DOOR SBGUBER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1912.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

Wikmcooco I CHARLES H. STEVENSON, OF EAST LAS VEGAS, NEW MEXICO.

DOOR-SECURER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented NOV. 5, 1912.

Application filed June 24, 1912. Serial No. 705,573.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. son, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Las Vegas, in the county of San Miguel and State of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-Securers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a door securer such as are often carried by traveling salesmen and the like and used for fastening the doors in strange hotels, on the assumption that the ordinary locks are none too strong and possibly might be easily manipulated from the outside; and the object of the same is to improve and simplify a securer of this kind and render it proof against being unlocked by a person who might reach over the transom. These and other objects are accomplished by constructing the device as hereinafter more fully described and illustrated with reference to its application to the left or closing side of a door supposed to be hinged at the right side and openinginward into the room.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a door within its frame, showing its free edge as locked to the jamb by my improved securer; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the securer in the act of being removed; Fig. 4c is a perspective detail of the movable part of this securer, and Fig. 5 a similar detail of the fixed part.

This device is by preference stamped entirely from sheet metal, and the same may be iron or steel properly treated to render it ornamental, or brass or other metal, although it should have some degree of stiffness. It is made in two entirely separable members, one of which first to be described is cut from rather broader sheet metal than the other. At one end of the strip from which this member is formed, it is stamped into two teeth 1 and 2 which are short prongs deflected at about right angles to the body 3, and the center of the latter is pierced with a hole 4 through which a screw may be passed if the device is to be secured permanently to the door-j amb J. In fact it might be well to use a screw if the traveler has one with him, although its use is optional and not absolutely necessary.

Forward of the body this metal member is bent as at 5 and formed into an uprightbarrel'6, the remaining extremity of the strip from which the member is made being carried over finally against the bond 5 as shown and cut away or notched as at 7 for about its upper half. The other member has arather longer and narrower body 13 whose general size is such that it will slip easily through the barrel 6, and from one edge of the upper end of said body extends a wing 14, standing at direct right angles to the plane of the body itself and adapted to enter the notch 7 when the body member is pushed down throughthe barrel 6. In this edge of the body at a point sufiieiently below the wing to permit it to pass under he lower end of the bend 5 at this time, is formed a notch 15. From the other edge of the body is cut a tongue 16 bent slightly outward from the recess 17 out of which it was cut, so as to form a spring which in the act of pushing the body downward through the bar relis compressed into its recess 17 5 and the expansive force of this spring tends to engage the notch 15 with the lower edge of the bend 5 just at the moment when the lower edge of the wing 14: drops into the lower end of the notch 7 Hence it will be impossible for a person reaching over the transom to hook such an article as an un brella handle under the wing, and. raise the movable member outof the member first described.

In the application of this device, the user opens the door D and applies the member to the jamb J by embedding its teeth or prongs 1 and 2 therein, and possibly by the use of a screw which is passed through the hole 4t if desired. The door is then swung to its closing position, when its free edge passes by the plate or body 3 and doubtless a trifle by the bend 5. The movable member is then brought into position and the lower end of its shank or body dropped down into the upper end of the barrel 6, and then pushed down to press the spring 16 into its recess 17, and finally this member reaches such a position that its wing 14 passes into the notch 17, and its notch 15 engages the lower end of the bend 5. Even though the door be then unlocked and unlatched, it is impossible to push it open because in the act of opening its free edge will strike against the back of the wing 14. It will of course be impossible for any one to reach through the door and lift the movable member until the door is open, and I have shown above how it would be impossible for a person to reach over the transom and lift this member because the latter must be given a compound motion in the act of withdrawing it from the barrel. W'hen, however, the occupant of the room desires to get out, it is only necessary for him to grasp the wing between his thumb and finger and press it backward or toward the door at its upper end, and this motion throws the lower end of the body 13 of the movable member toward him and compresses the spring 16, so that the notch 15 is disengaged from the lower end of the bend 5, after which this entire member can be lifted out of the barrel 6; and the door then swings free, so that if he is a traveler he can remove the other member from the door j amb, put the whole in his suit case, and be off without having done any material injury to the woodwork. If he be a permanent occupant of the room, it may be that he will secure the fixed member to the door jamb by a screw through the hole 4 as well as by the teeth, as has been above suggested.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a door securer, the combination with a fixed member having a substantially flat body adapted for attachment to the door jamb at the free edge of the door, and a projecting upright tubular barrel; of a movable member whose body is adapted to slidably engage said barrel from above and has projecting from its upper end at right angles thereto a wing, that edge of the body below the wing being notched at a distance from it and the other edge of the body being provided with a spring engaging within the barrel and whose tendency is to force the notch into engagement with the opposite edge of the barrel when the wing contacts with the upper end thereof.

2. In a door securer, the combination with a relatively fixed member having a fiat body adapted to be secured to the door jamb, and an upright tubular barrel projecting from the inner edge of the body and notched in its upper end; of a relatively movable member adapted to slide into said barrel from above and provided with a right-angular bent wing at its upper end adapted to enter said notch when this member is depressed within the barrel, the corresponding edge of this member being itself notched at a point sufliciently below the lower edge of the wing to permit it to pass under the barrel when the wing engages said notch.

3. In a door securer, the combination with a relatively fixed member made of sheet metal having right-angular prongs or teeth at one extremity, its body being pierced with a screw hole and then bent at right angles and formed into an oval barrel having an upright bore; of a relatively movable member of strap metal whose body is of a size to slidably engage the bore of said barrel, whose upper end is bent at right angles into a wing for the purpose set forth, whose lower end is notched in one edge and recessed in the other edge, and the tongue beyond said recess bent outward into a spring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. STEVENSON.

Vitnesses O. E. BLooD, E. S. SHOWALTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

